Top '26 recruit Julian Lewis reclassifying to Class of '25 - ESPN

Julian Lewis, the top high school football player in the class of 2026, is headed to college a year early.

The quarterback told ESPN that he plans to reclassify and enter college in the class of 2025. That means that this upcoming season at Carrollton High School in Georgia will be his final year in high school.

Lewis committed to USC in August. That's one of several high-profile schools that's recruited him to come either in the Class of 2025 or 2026.

«Since I was 7 years old, one of my goals has been to play Division I football,» Lewis told ESPN. «Through hard work and sacrifice that goal has become a reality. I have been blessed to have two good seasons under Coach Joey King and I have confidence that after this coming season I will be ready to compete at the next level.

»So, after much prayer and talking with my family, coaches and trainers I will be reclassifying to the class of 2025."

Lewis is a talented enough quarterback that he's considered both ESPN's top player in the Class of 2026 and top overall high school prospect regardless of class.

It's expected that he'll be ranked No. 1 in the class of 2025 in ESPN's next rankings when they come out on Jan. 29. In ESPN's August rankings of high school prospects regardless of class, Lewis ranked ahead of the top player in the Class of 2025, quarterback Bryce Underwood, who recently committed to LSU.

Not surprising of a player of his stature, Lewis has offers from the sport's top programs — Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Oregon. He's also cut the figure of a rare high school recruit that's built a strong national reputation outside recruiting circles, as he already has 131,000 Instagram followers.

Lewis, 16, attends the same high school as Trevor